462 



Journal of Affriculliire, Victoria. [10 Aug., 1917. 



Further comment on the leaves is considered unnecessary as the 

 illustrations in Plate 115 speak for themselves. These are about half 

 natural size, and the names of the varieties are given below the plate. 



Vakiety Identification by Means of the Flower. 

 While engaged in the study of poinological nomenclature and variety- 

 distinguishing characteristics during the necessarily long j)eriods of in- 

 vestigation, the writer discovered that the respective varieties can be 

 identified by means of their blossoms. The florets of a variety like its ' 

 fruits, wood growths, leaves, &c., may vary somewhat, and in some sorts 

 this is more apparent than in others. Nevertheless, when typical speci- 

 mens are procured they afford an accurate means to correct ideutifica- 

 .tion. 



- Photographic illustrations of vertical sections of the blooms of 216 

 varieties of apple trees growing in Victoria are given in Plates 117 to 

 122 inclusive, and the names of the 36 varieties contained in each plate 

 are given below it. 



Plate 116. 



Four stages of the blossom of the Rokewood variety (n, b, c, d). Morgan's Seedling 

 (c,/, g, h). Stunner Pippin {i,j, k, I). 



No two varieties produce blooms alike, the main differences in their 

 botanical construction being the relative length of the unions of the 

 pistil divisions above the nectary, the relative length of the pistil divi- 

 sions above the union, and the relative length of the stamens to their 

 own pistil. Typical minor variety differences may also be observed in 

 the stigmas, anthers, sepals, and petals. _ 



On account of the main differences in their structural formation the 

 blossoms of the several varieties may be divided into three clas.ses, viz., 

 those with long, medium, or short pistil unions i-espectively, allowing 

 the subdivisions to be arranged according to the minor differences in 

 their botanical construction. 



